“Paris Goes to Los Angeles” is part of the “My Friend Paris” series, where Paris shares her many adventures with her twins and her travels. In this book, Paris and her little twin sisters, goes on an adventure as they drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles to celebrate her uncle’s 50th birthday, with their parents. They stop by a historical landmark, Hollywood’s walk of fame, plat at the Venice Beach, get a helicopter ride treat and my favourite, visit the San Diego zoo!

Their adventure with her cousins continue until Uncle Phil’s 50th Birthday Party, at his home! This is a very colourfully illustrated book, perfect for kids who are a little more proficient in reading and for those who love adventure as well. As a parent, I like it as this book teaches them how to write their own travel journals, with a flow from the start to the end.

I’m actually a little astonished that this book series is written by a 15 year old lass, but it goes to show… what young people can do, once they set their minds to it! Well done, Jenna!

You can continue Paris’ adventures online as well, here.

About the author :

Jenna is 15 years old and lives in Calabasas, CA where she attends High School and enjoys musical theater and playing softball along with her 13 year old sister Sarah.

“Perfectly Crazy” is a lightweighted romance novel, focused on “Nell” and her perfect life. Nell is a beautiful, smart and successful woman, who has the perfect husband and children to match. However, she finds herself developing a relationship with her best friend, and knows that she has to restrain herself, or her life will be thrown into an imbalance. All of the sudden, her husband dies tragically, in a plane accident. And just like that, a whole new world opens up for her!

About the author :

Mitzi Penzes grew up in Hungary, where she trained and practiced as a neurologist. She has lived in the US for the last twenty-five years, where she pursued a career in lab management before becoming an entrepreneur. She lives with her son, husband, and cat in Napa, California.

Some of our reviewers had a chance to review the books and here’s what they have to say :

Chanel’s Journal : This book ‘Paris goes to Los Angeles’ had a lot of interesting illustrations, making it a cheerful way of presenting about Los Angeles to kids.

Mom2bbreviews : The first time I lay my eyes on  Paris Goes To Los Angeles, I was already attracted to the colourful and cute illustrations. I cannot emphasize enough the importance  of attractive illustrations when it comes to children’s books as it helps increase their attention span.

Lisa Reviews : The book “Paris goes to Los Angeles” is a short and easy read, so it definitely great for Madison’s age group.  I also love the illustrations — they are very engaging and help tell the story.

Asha’s Butterflys : My son really enjoyed this book since he has never been to California he had a lot of questions about the different places in the book. For a book that would be a really quick bedtime story turned into a topic about California.

Adventure in all things food : Yes, as a read it was a wild ride. Bumpy, and windy but I held on with both hands till the end. I am not sure I would have survived a longer book. White-knuckled, I might not have withstood the suspense to see where all the characters ended up.

This Southern Girls Nest : I read through the synopsis of each book and when I got to Perfectly Crazy I knew that this was a book that I would probably like.  I was right!  Luckily I was chosen to get a copy to review!

Sewing Mom : When I first began reading the Perfectly Crazy, I was drawn in by the fact that the main character, Nell, was a strong, beautiful and independent woman. The very first sentence of the book says, “Nell was a looker, and she knew it, too.”

1. Will The Courageous: A Story About Sexual Abuse by Amy Barth

Will is a typical six-year-old boy: he loves to tell “knock-knock jokes”, collect bugs, and play with other kids. On most school days, Will goes to Nana Winnie’s until his mom returns from work. Will enjoys having his Nana as a babysitter. Recently, Nana’s cousin Perry has come to visit and suddenly Will no longer wants to go there. He starts having nightmares, acting out in school and wetting his bed. Will’s parents are worried. What is wrong with Will?

Chanel’s Journal : After reading this book, I as parent must make sure we equip ourselves in educating our kids. Also, we need to take time to be close with our kids to ensure them that we are there for them so that they are feeling secure and not in fear. Be our kids’ good friend whom they can rely and trust on.

It is a great book for me to read with JL on our journey of learning and understanding…

2 Thumbs & A Dummy -We think that it was definitely well written and once again, simple and easy to understand for school going children. In my opinion, some bits of the story were somewhat graphic but I think this is totally unavoidable due to the message that Ms. Barth wants to bring forth. I think even when Arianna is old enough to understand, it is going to be uncomfortable for me to read it to her but it will be done because we need to educate our children about these sadly, common encounters.

It is better to be safe than sorry.

Mom 2 BB Reviews – The number of sexual abuse cases among children are on the rise but yet, this is a subject that many parents find difficult to broach. With books like Will The Courageous, it helps ease the communication of such issue between parents and young children. It enables us to teach our young children and make them aware of the difference between the touch of someone who is showing them affection and the touch or approaches of someone who is trying to take sexual advantage of them.

Rambling Moo – This book is very helpful for those who works with children such as counselors, doctors and staff working with children as well as parents of young children. The author has written this book in a very easy to understand manner which is suitable for any children between the age of 6-9. Children in this age group will understand about what  “inappropriate touching” is about and how they can relate their experience to their parents or caregivers should they are a victim of sexual abuse.

Jamerican Spice – This book is easy to read and understand without sharing too many explicit details so it’s perfect for a child. The illustrations are expressive and interesting and the book is written very well. I would definitely recommend this book!

Tsue ~ That’s What She Said -As uncomfortable as this topic is, the statistics indicate that all children need to be educated about appropriate touching, in an age appropriate manner, and to trust their internal alarms.  Will the Courageous ~ A Story About Sexual Abuse is an excellent resource for accomplishing this difficult task.

Shelly’s Bits and Pieces – This book is written in a way that everyone should be able to understand it.  It is well written, and handled in a loving manner!  The illustrations by Richa Kinra are interesting go hand in hand perfectly with the story.  Small children can have things explained in a non-explicit manner, and they are shown that it is not their fault.  I applaud Amy Barth for writing this book, as it is a very delicate subject matter to explore.  Families need to be aware that these things do happen.  Parents need to watch for signs, and they need to give their children the voice to speak out and tell someone!

2. What Do You Use to Help Your Body?  Maggie  Explores the World of Disabilities by Jewel Kats

Maggie and Momma love going for walks. During every outing, Maggie learns about something new. Today’s no different! Momma has arranged for Maggie to meet lots of people in her neighborhood. They all have different jobs. They all come from different cultures. They all use different things to help their bodies. Maggie doesn’t just stop to chit-chat. Rather, she gets to the bottom of things. By asking the right question, she discovers how many people with disabilities use aids to help them out. Let’s find out how they work, too!

• Children will learn that disabilities occur in every culture
• Parents and teachers can accurately explain how various disability aids work
• Children will realize that working with a disability is a possibility for some
• Therapists can use this book as a motivational tool for patients with disabilities
• Kids can satisfy their curiosity about disability aids in an unimposing manner

Chanel’s Journal : Overall, this help Maggie to learn of all the different disabilities each person have and how they go through with their daily routine using tools to assist them to lead to normal life. Each person is special in their own way and need to do things differently. They also need to be respected too like normal people. This book would also help our children to recognize others’ differences with respect and never look down or make fun of others.

2 Thumbs & A Dummy – I really like that they covered a wide range of disabilities because it was an eye opener for my kids. It also teaches them to be sensitive and not point out someone’s special need. Though I’m not too sure how Grandpa would react if she told him that he was disable since he uses a walker and a cane! lol But for the moment, we’re enjoying it!

Mom 2 BB Reviews – The book is written in a simple and easy to understand story which is ideal for children aged 6 years and above. I thought the illustration were also a big help as they clearly show the disability aids, which many children may not have seen before OR have seen before, but are not aware of what they really are.

If you are more observant, you may also notice that the characters in the book consisted of people from many different cultural background. Thumbs up to the author and illustrator for including that.

After Meal Gossip -Only when I started reading it to my 7 years old daughter, I realised how nicely thought out it was. The illustration was nice and full page, clearly indicating the body parts which needed help.

Captain Fussybuckets – I read this book to Captain Fussybuckets and he was very intrigued to learn about the different devices people use when they have a disability. I don’t think he pays much attention to these things yet, but there will come a day when he will have questions. It’s definitely a good idea to pre-teach this kind of stuff, in hopes that he will be respectful if he sees someone with a disability in real life. This is a good starting point to teach kids that all people are different and there are many different disabilities and devices that we have, but that we are all the same on the inside and we should treat everyone with respect.

Rambling Moo – This is such a lovely book in explaining why certain people with disabilities require special devices to help them along in their life. Young children will have better understanding why certain people require “assistive devices” and why some don’t.

The Truth About Mummy -The book is soft cover but has large colorful pictures which my girls loved. It’s 24 pages long and rather wordy for little ones but perfect for the 5 plus age group. Middle pink, who is 5, found it particularly engaging and asked a lot of good quality questions. What I like best about What do you use to help your body? is that it’s a perfect discussion started. It inspires all sort of questions and gave me a great way to encourage the girls to think and begin to form their own opinions.

In this Book Blog Tour, our great group of reviewers had the opportunity to review three books by Loving Healing Press, namely :

• Please Explain “Anxiety” to Me: Simple Biology and Solutions for Children and Parents, by Laurie Zelinger (Author), Jordan Zelinger (Author), Elisa Sabella (Illustrator)
• Reena’s Bollywood Dream: A Story about Sexual Abuse, by Jewel Kats (Author), Richa Kinra (Illustrator)
• The “O, MY” in Tonsillectomy & Adenoidectomy: how to prepare your child for surgery, a parent’s manual, 2nd Edition, by Laurie Zelinger Ph.D. (Author).

I had the privilege to review “Reena’s Bollywood Dream : A Story about Sexual Abuse” by Jewel Kats, and illustrated by Richa Kinra. After years of exchanging letters, 8 year old “Reena” is delighted to finally meet her “Uncle Jessi”, who, migrated from India to US and is staying with her family. “Reena” dreams about being a bollywood star, but her parents had higher hopes of her being a doctor. With “Uncle Jessi” ‘s arrival, he brings her gifts and a new Bollywood movie. Luring the young girl to his room whilst her parents are out, with a secret surprise, it slowly turns into a complete nightmare for “Reena”.

Buy it! : While the storyline captures a family from a different culture, the underlying message is clear. A child needs to understand that sexual abuse is never their fault. Sharing how they feel with an adult, will not only stop the abuser, but it helps them recover in a safe way. We always have a fear that a stranger is the main offender, but most often than not, sexual predators/abusers are close members/friends of the family. This is a great introductory book to any child, to provide awareness on this subject.

As I mentioned earlier, our panel of reviewers had opportunities to review and here are their excerpts :

Please Explain “Anxiety” to Me: Simple Biology and Solutions for Children and Parents, by Laurie Zelinger (Author), Jordan Zelinger (Author), Elisa Sabella (Illustrator)

• ISBN-10: 1615990518
• ISBN-13: 978-1615990511

Rambling Moo : I highly recommend this book if you have a fidgety child at home. My son gets worried all the time and I using all the information in this book to help him feeling less nervous especially when we will be moving to another country soon where everything will be so different.

Mom2BBreviews : As a parent, I learned something new in the book too! Did you know that we have a “sympathetic nervous system” ? It’s like a switch in our body which gets turned on when we feel that we are in danger.

Atomic Mama : I enjoyed this book a LOT when it came to teaching Xander about anxiety and ways to deal with it. The author uses a story about dinosaurs to break down anxiety in easy to understand ways.

Reena’s Bollywood Dream: A Story about Sexual Abuse, by Jewel Kats (Author), Richa Kinra (Illustrator)

• ISBN-10: 1615990143
• ISBN-13: 978-1615990146

Almanac Queen : As soon as she finished reading it, she started relating to me the story and managed to identify all the important educational points for sexual education for someone as young as her. I think this book is very important for young girls who may be reaching puberty soon.

The “O, MY” in Tonsillectomy & Adenoidectomy: how to prepare your child for surgery, a parent’s manual, 2nd Edition, by Laurie Zelinger Ph.D. (Author)

• ISBN-10: 1615990534
• ISBN-13: 978-1615990535

Pookie and the Boys : She keeps it very basic with steps on how to explain it to the child without causing immediate panic. I wasn’t worried about my son panicking, I was worried about me! I got ideas on how to approach the subject with him, pep talks for use prior to the surgery , all the way up to days before and the day of surgery.

Moomettes Magnificents : This is an informative reference source for parents, grandparents or daycare providers to sooth a child’s fears before undergoing surgery for a Tonsillectomy or Adenoidectomy.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/2

Our selected team of reviewers recently had the priviledge to review two books, Entertain Like A Gentleman and Aurora Fee, thanks to New Year Publishing.

First off, Entertain Like A Gentleman, written by David Harap is one of those very much needed guidebook for men who are not as ”talented” when it comes to entertaining and cooking. The book starts off with Entertaining 101 which includes a list of 25 things to do to ensure a stress free entertaining. For those who are totally clueless in the kitchen, the book also provides an explanation of the basic tools in the kitchen ranging from food processor to mixing bowls to measuring scale as well as metric conversions. Trust me, these morsels of information may be pretty useful to some.

As far as the recipes are concerned, I am ashamed to admit that I have so much to learn from David Harap. I like the way the recipes are divided into different occassions, for example, Super Bowl/March Madness, Cheese and Wine Party, Pool Party, Double Date Night, Romantic Dinner (Spring/Summer) and Romantic Dinner (Fall/Winter), etc. My favourite of course was Cooking With Kiddos, which I would never have expected to be included in this book. Overall, the recipes are not what you would call simple and neither are they intimidating. I’m just a bit surprise that there aren’t any pictures to accompany the recipes which would have worked better.When it comes to recipes,  I’m one who believes that  a picture speaks a thousand words   If your man is showing hints of interest in the kitchen, this might be just the book to get him started.

Here’s what some of our reviewers thought of Entertain Like A Gentleman:

Confessions of an overworked mom – Now if your husband is like mine, you might expect this cookbook to be filled with recipes for buffalo wings, frozen pizza and chocolate chip cookies. You couldn’t be more wrong! The recipes in this book are going to put your cooking skills to shame. At least they’d put mine to shame. Just thinking about dates stuffed with blue cheese mousse and fennel and spinach strudel has my mouth watering!

Pookie and The Boys – Most men wish they had the ability to cook for their woman and give her the wow factor. Entertain Like a Gentleman by David Harap tries to give a little boost in the kitchen department for men. The thing is to remember this is for a gentleman, not a man. There are no recipes including a bottle of beer, and some of the recipes require up to a week of prep. The recipes have easy to read measurements and it seems that most ingredient choices are conveniently found in your local grocery. Instructions are detailed letting you know the “do ahead” and the actual “night of the dinner” steps for preparation.

Mom Most Traveled – Entertain Like a Gentleman has 75 original recipes appropriate for all types of themes; from Super Bowl parties to Scotch tastings to intimate dinner parties.

Recipes in Entertain Like a Gentleman use common and accessible ingredients, and you also get tips about how to make your evening flow…like butter.

Heavenly Savings – The recipes by David Harap are not your basic everyday recipes. Each dish looks and smells appetizing and the taste is to die for! You will be wining and dining your guests in no time with these timeless romantic recipes! There are also parts of the book that will help you know how to organize and set up your foods in the most spectacular and passionate ways!

Adventure in All Things Food – Mmm… all delicious recipes, and easy to make. These simple, yet elegant ideas will have your guests singing your praises! Each chapter has a full menu of ideas, a shopping list and equipment list for each recipe. Some chapters even have added suggestions for making your gathering more enjoyable. This book helps to plan everything out for the host or hostess. I have to say that I am always looking for ways to make entertaining go more smoothly.

Renaissance Culinaire – The recipes are written in an easy to understand fashion, intended to help aid in a less-stressful entertaining experience. Included in the book are shopping and equipment lists, with blank pages after every section to allow you to jot down thoughts or notes – making Entertain Like a Gentleman perfect for the cooking inept or the seasoned culinary traveler.

Happy Healthy Families – I know this book is aimed towards men, and yes, it is perfect for the man who needs some step by step guidance in the kitchen, but really, I think just about anyone would love reading it. There are tips and secrets throughout the book that will make even the most novice host feel ready to take on a party for family and friends!

Acting Balanced – I really like how the recipes are laid out – with the instructions first and the ingredients and equipment listed down the right hand side, with the ingredients listed like a shopping list – ingredient first, amount second. The tips are great too – for men or women – and help you to break down your entertainment planning and cooking chores into easy to accomplish steps. This book is all about being impressive without being difficult.

Mom of 2 Dancers – There is no stronger way to impress someone than by showcasing your culinary skills. Bachelor Chef and culinary instructor David Harap has created a series of menus that any man can make his own. This book helps men create unforgettable meals for their guests without stress or needing years of cooking school. In addition to many exciting recipes for every occasion, that are tons of tips and secrets on how to become the ultimate host. Memorable meals made easy.

Aurora Fee was written by Megan Barnes when she was just a high school senior. It tells the story of an ordinary  teenager with centuries old deep dark secret. The truth is, Aurora is no longer a human but a CAT to be exact. She could transform herself from a human into a cat, has the ability to read minds and is immortal. Aurora also has to be careful with her emotions which may result in different parts of her cat personality appearing out of the blue, such as happiness will trigger the appearance of the tail, embarrassment triggers the whiskers, etc.

Aurora Fee is definitely geared for the tweens to teens but as an adult, I did enjoy reading it too. The story involves typical teenage issues such as  high school, cliques, jealousy and romance. Aurora Fee kind of reminds me of James Patterson’s Daniel X.  As far as paranormal fiction goes, I give it the thumbs up and will definitely be looking forward to a sequel.

Read what our reviewers had to say about the Aurora Fee below:

The Sewing Mom – While Aurora has to contend with her shape shifting, she also contends with typical teenage issues, school, friends, and even love. All of these things cause angst and can peak emotions particularly in a teenager, so it’s even more of a challenge for someone who doesn’t want their cat ears giving them away! As the parent of a teenager, I found it easy to relate to the teenage issues in the book. I found some of the story to be a bit far fetched and naive, but overall, it is a very enjoyable book. I am very impressed that the author, Megan Barnes, was just 17 when she wrote the story and had it published. On that alone I recommend the book! I admire anyone that follows their dreams, but to do so at such a young age is absolutely a triumph!

Creative Writings 101 - Aurora suffers from normal teen feelings, wanting to be loved, and of course, the fear of being different. Something we all can relate to in one way or another. I was surprised to see that the writer of this book is only a teen herself, I think she did a great job and had a great handle on the emotions and experiences that teens face on a daily basis. This is a good book for a tween and/or teen to read, and fits the young adult paranormal genre perfectly.

Adventure in All Things Food – This was a fast read, and I am sure as a teenager I would have consumed it in one sitting. At 240 pages it is not a long read, but a perfect serving of feline adventure. I enjoyed that it was a great mixture between usual teen conflicts, and life and death action. It is a great story I would recommend for tween through teen readers, especially girls interested in paranormal fiction.

Happy Healthy Families -My daughter loved this book, and basically had it in her hands from the time she started reading it to the time she finished. Though shape shifting is a big part of the story, it also follows Aurora’s daily struggles being a teen and dealing with normal teen situations such as school, friends, falling in love, etc. This would be a perfect stocking stuffer for young teens and even pre-teens. My daughter gave it two thumbs up!

Acting Balanced – Aurora Fee is full of action and fun. The book is well written and I could possibly see a sequel. The only change to this book I would make is to add a prequel, but that might give away to much. I can’t believe that this book was written by a high school senior. I would recommend this book for anyone 11 and up.

Mom of 2 Dancers – Besides this being a great book, it a good read for most ages. I’d let my 9 year old daughter read it since it isn’t graphic, etc. It is probably geared more towards later tween years and teens. Plus of course, us adults that love young adult novels. I still can’t get over the other being in high school. Congrats to Miss Barnes for writing a fantastic novel. I hope to see a Aurora Fee become a series!

Maria’s Space -This is a young adult book and is written by a young adult. So, the dialogue is youthful and easy. This is a quick read and the characters aren’t very deep but in this very creative storyline, I give kudos to Megan for her shout outs for one of my favorite books. Obviously a Twi-hard like me, Aurora is looking for her “Edward”. Aurora and her boys (Kartik-Edward and Zane-Jacob) was very Twilightish. She is in love with two boys who will do anything for her yet, in the long run. She remains friends with Zane and chooses Kartik.

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/2

About Postcards From The Hedge: 

In Postcards from the Hedge, Jill Appenzeller reflects on life, family, and human nature in the context of her ever-changing garden. The book is a collection of vivid vignettes that span all four seasons as well as decades of memories both in and out of the garden. From Gossip Girls, the story of the neighborhood kids organizing a garden club, to I Don t Want It Perfect I Want It Tuesday, about all the things that never get done in life as well as in the garden, this is the story of humbling failures and unexpected surprises, of friends and friendships, and the gift of being present in the moment. Filled with humorous anecdotes and surprising insights. Postcards from the Hedge explores what gardening can teach us about ourselves and the world we live in.

Written by Jill Appenzeller,  this book would appeal to those who are passionate about gardening. As the book comprises of short stories, it is easy to pick up and read at one’s convenience. For the busy moms, you can quickly finish a story while waiting to pick up your kids from schools or when you’re taking a quick break from your chores. I’m not someone with green fingers, so I do not relate well with the book but I have no doubt that Postcards From The Hedge will make a perfect gift for any garden enthusiast. Check out what our reviewers on this tour had to say:

Red Sox Mommy – I would recommend this book for any garden lover. It does have some helpful tips sprinkled thorough out the stories that could help even those like me who are not natural gardeners.

The Sewing Mom – I am definitely a novice gardener and I found most of the stories in the book to be very easy to relate to. If you ever tried your hand at gardening you know that while parts of it are easy, other parts can be very labor intensive and even frustrating. Sounds just like life to me and that’s exactly how author Jill Appenzeller relates the stories. I love how she writes, it made me feel as if I was experiencing every garden dilemma, every conversation and every joyous occasion. If I was having a tough day, I knew I could sit down and read a couple of the short stories and I’d end up with a smile on my face.

Brain Foggles – Postcards From the Hedge wasn’t easy for me to read though. I am not a gardener in any sense of the word. The book’s main topic is gardening and uses gardening terminology, which made it somewhat difficult to keep my attention. I was able to find the deeper levels of the essays, but read the book a few essays at a time. It did bring back some memories from my childhood of helping my father in our vegetable garden. The descriptions allowed me to imagine what Jill’s garden must look like also and helped me to relax.

Idaho Jill  - Postcards from the Hedge is filled with garden stories, but more importantly, life stories. When I 1st started reading it, I was afraid that it was going to be to ‘garden-y’ for me. But, the more that I got into the book, the more I could see that every story was very relatable to life, not just gardens.

Happy Healthy Families – I was drawn in to Jill’s reflecting on life, family, and human nature in the context of her ever-changing garden.As the seasons changed, and her garden with them, Jill shares memories, thoughts and wisdom from her life. That is what I enjoyed so much. To listen to someone share their joys sadness, regrets, doubts and questions is without a doubt an inviting reason to take some quiet moments and read Jill’s book.

 

About Island Potcake Dogs:

The adventures of 2 wild dogs, Pot and Cakes, who find a way to survive extreme hardships in the Bahamas and come to live happy lives in the U.S.

Island Potcake Dogs is writen and illustrated by Mary R. Lee and tells the story of two wild puppies called Pot and Cakes, who lived on the island of Nassau in the Caribbean.  As they did not have a home, the poor puppies lived off food given by kind people who leave their dinner pots outside their backdoors. Both dogs learnt that not all people are kind though and I  love how Pot always protect the more timid Cakes.

The dogs met Henry & Mary from US, who were visiting Nassau. The couple grew attached to the puppies and finally brought them back to US to live with them. It was heartwarming to read how Pot and Cakes attended puppy school and adapted to their new home. My daughter was excited to learn about “puppy school” and curious about what was being taught. However, she quickly found the answer to her question as she read on. The puppies’ adventure continued with a summer vacation where Henry and Mary brought them to their cottage by a lake in New Hampshire. Here, Pot and Cakes made new friends and also learnt that it did not pay to nudge a porcupine! Nevertheless, the story ended happily for everyone. There was also a bonus of cutouts at the end of the book which made it extra special for my daughter as she loves arts and craft and cutting was certainly on her list of “Fun Things To Do“.

My daughter and I enjoyed the Island Potcake Dogs for its’ story and cute illustrations. It definitely makes a wonderful bedtime story but don’t just take our word for it…Let’s read what other reviewers thought about the book:

Idaho Jill – To me, this book resonated because we always get our dogs from the pound. The 2 dogs that we have now are age 10 & 16. I love the feeling of rescuing a dog (or 2!) and giving it a better life than it would have had on its own. I am very adamant that the best dogs come from the pound! I love the fact that Henry & Mary brought them home and trained them, fed them, and loved them. My daughter loves dogs, so she really enjoyed the book also. The book was written and illustrated by Mary R. Lee and she really does a wonderful job. Any age group would enjoy this book!

Happy Healthy Families – Adventures and happy endings…..a recipe for a wonderful bedtime story! And there is a special little bonus at the end of the book too–cutouts of the dogs for little ones to cut out and play with!

Mom Most Traveled – I think Island Potcake Dogs does a good job of describing hardship in the dog’s lives without being too doom-and-gloom so as to disturb children, and it has a happy ending!

I remember being very disturbed by the Benji movies when I was a child.

The illustrations in Island Potcake Dogs are adorable. Deeds, my 3-year-old, loves “woof woofs” and is ever intrigued. As an extra special bonus, children can cut out their own paper Island Potcake Dogs at the end of the book.

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/2

I shall kick off this book blog tour with my review on “The Mouse, the Monster and Me“. Basically, this book is about helping young people (from 8years and up) understand their personalities and various behaviors and how it can affect other people or be mirrored by them. It is written, in a very informal handwriting style, with lots of doodles/drawings which keeps the young reader interested and motivated to continue reading.

Let me first warn you that this is not the type of book you can read through in one sitting. Whether your child is the mouse, the monster or both, it’s worthwhile to sit with them and spend the time reading this book together. No matter how long the reading takes, as I think this forges an important message to them. That you care about their feelings and that you, the parent want to work with them to manage it. It has various exercises and activities that you or your child can work with, that can help build their self-esteem, and assert themselves appropriately. I myself had some time to self-explore my type of personality and had some moments where I asked myself why I made some pretty bad/negative choices and became a really bad monster. No, not a proud moment.

From what I can safely assume is that not many kids will realise that every single one of us, have the same type of feelings. Especially those of sadness, hurt, vengefulness and anger.

This is not a book you get and leave it on the bookshelf. This is a book you get, and put it where your family gathers most. The kitchen. The dining table. The bedroom. Everywhere but the bookshelf. Where your child can come home, share their thoughts on how their day went, and grab the book easily and work out their feelings if they’re finding it hard to manage it by themselves. This book was very relevant for my 8 year old, as he is quite a ‘mouse’ and needs to improve on his assertiveness and learn how to speak out without being too bossy.

The second book, “Liking Myself” is clearly about building self-esteem. Just like the first book, it’s informally written, with drawings/doodles, making it more interesting for the younger reader (between ages 5-9). Younger kids who are growing to be more aware of their feelings and themselves. My 4 year old son, has often display feelings of anger, and would storm off angrily whenever his little brother takes his toys. But because he is also a pre-schooler, his teacher has been teaching him how to explain his feelings out. Unfortunately, saying that to a 2 year old does not work.

So, he comes around to tell me how he feels, and thanks to this book, both of us, can pick out his ‘feeling face’ and we play the “letting go” game. The activities and games in the book, are simple and easy for younger kids to engage with.

About Dr. Pat Palmer :

As a therapist for 20 years, Dr. Pat Palmer taught children and adults how to solve problems and to like themselves. Her books, popular in the United States and Japan, have helped many people learn to feel better about themselves and take responsibility for getting what they want in life.

Pat is the author of four delightful books that teach young people to have a good relationship with themselves. All of her books are rated five stars by Amazon.com readers!

Pat’s two most popular books, Liking Myself and The Mouse, the Monster, and Me, have just been re-released after ten years out of print!

Well, these group of reviewers had a wonderful opportunity to review them, and these are snippets of their reviews :

The Mom Maven : What makes these books even more exciting for me is they cover a subject that is seldom covered, at least in a positive way in our schools and even in many homes-social skills, emotional stability and self-esteem.These books have sold over a half a million copies world wide in 6 different languages before going out of print in the US in 2000. Now they are back in print and available online from Uplift Press.

5 Vinez Monkeys : Overall, I am quite impressed with both books. I loved the fun and unique print and doodles throughout both of the books. It made it seem like each book was a “letter” written just to my child. These books are the prefect addition to our home library, and I’m certain we’ll be reading them often in the years to come.

Lisa Reviews : Both these books are pretty cute.  The kids learn without realizing it, and they definitely teach some great skills.

Creative Writings 101 : As a parent, I recommend these books wholeheartedly. In our busy lives, sometimes we don’t always get the chance to sit down and talk with our children as much as we’d like to. These books are informative, interesting, and can be a helpful tool in helping our children grow up and define who they are as a person.

Sassy Frazz : This book can be used as a great resource to build a conversation with your child about their feelings, and the feelings of others. I think this book is another great book to work through with your child.

This Southern Girls’ Nest : Both of these books are wonderfully illustrated in the fact that I think even the kids who don’t like to read would be able to pick it up and start reading. The games that are associated in getting the kids involved with their feelings is great!

Buy It! : Both books are extremely useful and helpful when it comes to feelings and behavior. Highly recommended for parents, teachers, care support givers, therapists, etc. These books are available for sale here and digital copies are available as well.  Uplift Press Inc. also has other books available : The Winning Family and On the Wings of Self-Esteem. Sign up for their free positive parenting newsletter delivered via email!

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I just got back from an 8 hour plane flight, with three kids (2, 4 and 7) and 60kg of luggage, by myself. Not only that, I managed to watch 3 movies, eat the meals and enjoy myself. The best thing was, the 2 year old did not scream or yell (unlike the first time we went, where he screamed non-stop for 2 hours) and instead, entertained himself and the other passengers. To be honest, as I was planning for our 19 days trip, everyone asked if it would be alright, traveling with kids. Well, to be honest, the best answer to that is to not to have any expectations on how your kids will behave. They will not sleep if you want them to. And they will sleep when you least expect them to. I gave myself a big pat on my shoulder, and for remembering to take double of my anxiety relaxant pills.

However, if I had read “Wanderlust and Lipstick – Traveling with Kids” by Leslie Forsberg and Michelle Duffy, it may have given me more ideas on how to relax even further!

“Wanderlust and Lipstick – Traveling with Kids” is a collection of real-life experiences by moms who travel with kids. By travel, it could mean interstate or international. It doesn’t matter. What really matters, is your sanity and maintaining it. Reading this book WILL. HELP. YOU.

It covers from pre-travel (yes, even if you’re just thinking about it) right up to post-travel, where it mentions recovery from jet-lag. It includes an extensive list of websites, which is pretty handy since it’s all laid out in one book! While alot of us moms just worry about the logistics, the food and water supplies, we often forget about the enriching experiences our kids go through. Like just letting them play and make friends with the local kids, is enough to fill their memory banks for a lifetime. The book is peppered with “hot tips” for short trips that are 1 hour drive away or super long ‘around the world’ trips!

About Wanderlust and lipstick :

Our mission is to increase your passion for travel by providing inspiration, tips and words of wisdom from experienced Wanderlusters who’ve seen it all! Here you can find travel stories to whet your appetite for adventures around the globe; join a WanderTour to Bhutan or India; peruse posts from the ever expanding group of WanderBloggers; read travel tips from experienced globetrotters; learn about Wanderlust and Lipstick-recommended travel gear; and salivate over the glorious photos in the WanderGallery submitted by travelers the world over.

More about the co-authors : Leslie Forsberg and Michelle Duffy, please go here!

Buy It! The Wanderlust and Lipstick series is specifically targeted to women, and I only wish I had known about it earlier. I have so many girlfriends who have the ‘wanderlust’ in them, and have traveled far and wide, and this would have made perfect gifts for them. Series include :

• The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo – 2nd Edition
• For Women Traveling to India

These books are available at the Wanderlustandlipstick website and also at Amazon.

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Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley

The Wright on Time series of books is written by Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley, a homeschooling mom who had found it difficult to find books about homeschoolers for her daughters. Thanks to Lisa, we were sent autographed copies of Wright on Time Arizona and Wright on Time Utah to review.

The Wright on Time series tells the adventure of a homeschooling RV family who travels across the United States, starting with the state of Arizona. The Wright family comprises of 11 year old Nadia, 7 year old Aidan and their parents Stephanie (mom) and Harrison (dad).  Together, they hit the road in their RV and goes on a fascinating adventure from one state to another, spending time together exploring and learning.

Seeing that my 10 year old son has started to enjoy adventure books, I gave the books to him to review for this tour. He loved that the books opened up with two pages of pictures and quick facts about the state the books were based on. The short chapters meant it was easy for him to put the book down when he had to do other things BUT I can honestly tell you that he had read more than half of the chapters in Wright on Time Arizona on his first day of reading. He finished the book on the second day! I’m sure that already speaks volume on how interesting and exciting the first book was for him. He also eagerly finished Wright on Time Utah within the next three days.

As English is not our first language, some of the words may not be familiar to him but the glossary at the end of each book was a wonderful reference.  Being a mom, I love these two titles because they are not only a fun read, they serve as useful educational tools. By the time my son finished the books, he had already learnt many facts about Arizona and Utah as well as picked up a couple of new words to add to his English vocabulary. So, I’m definitely giving these books the two thumbs up!

Here’s a peek into what Wright On Time Arizona and Wight on Time Utah are about:

First stop, Arizona! The Wright’s homeschooling RV adventure starts with exploring a desert cave. Nadia can’t wait to find minerals and see rock formations. Aiden wants to see bats. He finds something mysterious buried in the rock – what could it be? What is that glowing thing on the wall? Where are those voices coming from? What do you do with toilet paper in a cave? And just what is a stale egg mite anyway?

The Wright family’s homeschooling RV adventure continues at an Allosaurus dinosaur dig in Utah. Nadia can’t wait to decipher symbols from the mysterious device. Aiden wants to find a real dino bone. He might find something, but he might lose something else – what could it be? What freaky thing is glowing now? Where is their power coming from? What do you do with a left dentary? And just want kind of tune are they singing?

Let’s take a look at what other moms and dad on our panel of reviewers thought of Wright On Time Arizona and Wright On Time Utah:

Maria’s Space – These books are incredible. I love them and think that you and your kids will too! The family is likable. The kids are enjoyable, no one is trying to one up someone or be funny. The parents aren’t secondary characters or forgotten. The locations are interesting. The story flows beautifully and this really is a great way to show how normal, smart and balanced homeschooled children can be contrary to some of my friends. These books are not just for the homeschooled. The story is excellent and any reader will want the next book in the series.

5 Vinez Monkeys – Overall, we are super impressed with the Wright on Time books. My kids loved reading about other homeschooling kids that were right around their ages. They also really enjoyed learning about Arizona and Utah. I really enjoyed reading the books with Jace and Lucy also. The books were funny and interesting and kept the kids anxious to learn more. I would recommend these books to any homeschooling family – or any family that wants to learn more about the USA.

Reviews & Reflections -When I heard about a new series of books by Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley, I was excited. This series is based on the United States – one book per state – which means there will eventually be 50 books in the series! The books are written by a homeschool mom – and they’re about a homeschool family! That appeals to us as homeschoolers.

Sewing Mom – I have to say, I’ve really enjoyed these books and I definitely share the love of learning and traveling around our country. It’s exactly what we’ve tried to do with our own daughter, even though we don’t have an RV. The series seems to be targeted to readers around age 10, younger if they love to read and have a parent that likes to read with them. The stories inspire me to hit the road with my family!

Why Are They Calling ME Mom -I can really see how these books would be extremely helpful to homeschooling moms and dads. Heck I think they’ll be useful to L when she’s in first or second grade. Or even for a student that’s doing a report on one of our 50 states. I know I can’t wait to read the Missouri one. Learning more about our country is a good thing.

Mommy Mandy – The Wright on Time series of children’s chapter books are about an RV-living family who travels the USA. Each book is set in a different state with a different fun and educational theme. It’s like taking your child on a wonderous road trip across the USA powered by the imagination! You can pick up any book in the series and enjoy it fully without having read others in the series. Of course, if you want to know the complete story of the Wright family’s adventures, you are going to want to read the other books!

Laura William’s Musings – All in all, my children and I found these books to be very interesting to read and to learn more about the states. Perfect timing to review these too as we are in the midst of a unit study about all 50 states.

One House Schoolroom – My children fell in love with the Wright family from the start- my seven year old son is an identical match to Aiden and my daughter loved Nadia’s sense of adventure and bravery. The easy tone and short chapters kept my kiddos asking for more. It took us less than two days to finish the first book and the second was finished in less than a week. Most books take us a few weeks to read from beginning to end. The only complaint my children had was that we have to wait a few months for the next installment- they are hooked!!

Happy Healthy Families – Each book is set in a different state with a different fun and educational theme. I loved that each book can be read and enjoyed without having to have read others in the series. But of course, once you start reading about the Wright family and their adventures, you are drawn in and will want to read their story right from the very beginning!

Connie’s View – Sammi’s Review (age 11): I liked the glossary because I was able to learn what the unusual words meant. The children in the book lived an exciting life traveling through the country and being homeschooled about the things they saw. I imagined myself living a life like that. It was confusing not reading the children calling their parents “Mom and Dad”. I felt that books were for younger aged children than me, though because I was able to read them very quickly.

The Plus Size Mommy (Arizona) – My son Zachary who is 10 was the real reviewer of these books. He wished he had them in 4th grade when he had a major project for school on a state. Which is a requirement at his school.

My son loved these adventures, and he took the books in to share with his teachers and classmates. They all were excited over them.

The Plus Size Mommy (Utah) – I love that he is enjoying these books. However, he took my book 2 – Utah to school, and shared it with some friends and the teacher decided to read it to the class, which made this review late! So, I wasn’t too happy about that. But these books are very fun to read and so Educational, I totally get why the teacher would want to read it with the class.

The Southern Girls Nest – Kayla’s review : I love these books because they teach me about the states that I might not have ever visited and known about. I also like these books because they tell about mysteries you have to solve and I love mysteries. I don’t want to tell you what the books are about but there was a part in the first book that made me want to read the second book so that I could solve the mystery. The characters are sort of like me in a way so I relate to them. Because they like mysteries and they like to travel and they love to explore things, just like me. I am looking forward to reading the third book and all the others.

Yenjai.Net – My son simply love it though. Before he finished the first book, he already ask for the second book. Good eh? Though I was sure there were plenty of words foreign to him, he didn’t seem to mind at all. He simply proceed on, and occasionally ask us for the meaning of a couple of words. Guess the writer really had done a good job in writing the story.

Chanel’s Journal – By just reading these two books had already opened up Mummy’s eye to a different type of adventures which was educational RV roadschool tour. More families were embarking into homeschooling the kids. Mummy strongly recommended this series because it would be educational and by the end of the series, we would have travelled to 50 states learning about the different and uniqueness of each state.

The Clan Mcleod – As a homeschooling mom, I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books. Geared for ages 5 – 12, my oldest daughter, Sarah, is 11 and breezed through the first one in a little over an hour. She enjoyed it as much as I did and is getting ready to begin book 2.

We all learned a lot and enjoyed the state information in the front of the books. I also appreciated the glossary in the back that helped with girls with unfamiliar words.

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Young children sometimes have a hard time making friends; this is especially true in military families where a lot of the time every two to three years the family relocates. Jamie and the Angel is about a little girl named Jamie – a member of a military family – who is a little different than other children. This “difference” makes her shy around them – so she finds it hard to make friends. Her “difference” is that she sees just a little more deeper into people – a “gift from God” that she isn’t sure is much of a gift. He parents tell her it’s “just her imagination” at work but Jamie knows it’s more than that.

Jamie and the Angel is a touching story about having a “gift” and accepting it as part of yourself. I thought it was a lovely story but I also believe it ended too abruptly; I would’ve loved to hear more about Jamie’s gift and if when she accepts it if she gets more social at school and makes friends.

This book is for children of any age. It opens the door to a higher relationship with God and doesn’t belittle those with special “gifts” from God. I thought that this story was incredibly positive and I like to see the connection between parapsychology and spirituality.

There is a great section after the story that is a guideline for parents. It talks about how to deal with special gifts and how to talk to your children about them. It explains that these special gifts are indeed gifts from God and that God loves everyone.

The book’s author – Carol Guy – is also the author of several books and hosts her own radio program on Blog Talk Radio called Earth Angel. Carol has many special gifts including Clairvoyance. She can be found at her website www.CarolGuy.com

If you’re interested to learn how Jamie and the Angel fared with other readers, here’s what our mommy bloggers thought of the book:

Maria’s Space : While the cover may look like a child’s book, this book is not for children only. I believe that Carol is writing for people everywhere who feel different than others. The message of the book is quite simple, “it is OK to be different.” We are told as children and we tell our children that being different is what makes them special. The little girl in the book has a rare gift where she can speak and see Divine beings. If this is not something you believe in, the book is a great resource in self acceptance on an elementary level.

Idaho Jill – I think the message of this book would appeal to any age group. We all need encouragement sometimes that being different is a good thing, and Carol Guy has brought that concept to life in her very understandable book. My daughter liked the book, and the rich illustrations. Overall, I liked the book, too, even though it had some spelling errors and was more focused on the God aspect of spirituality than I believe in. But, I do believe in the overall message that everyone is special, and was happy to have the opportunity to review and share this book.

Moomette’s Magnificents – Beautifully illustrated by Richa Kinra, Jamie and the Angel is about children who are gifted in the psychic area.  I’ve written here before that I, myself profess to have some sort of psychic ability, or Sixth Sense, if you prefer.  Although my “gift” didn’t develop until I was older, children are capable of such  intuitive insights also.

Written in an easy to understand prose, Guy tells the story of Jamie, an 8-year old girl who doesn’t understand why she feels different from her peers, until an Angel appears to help her by providing guidance. Appended at the end is a reference guide for parents.

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“Catty Wompus” the character is a well-to-do girl who has everything she ever wanted, but nay a single close friend. The voice of the story, “Lucy Hope”, a simple 9 year old girl, tries to befriend “Catty Wompus” but is immediately hurt by “Catty’s” spiteful words.

“Lucy’s” immediate reaction is to mirror that hate, and runs home after school, and shares this with her mom. Thankfully, mom sees beyond the wall of meanness, and shares a very good piece of advice with Lucy. How it ends, is rather amusing, and I must say, I do like it very much.

I’m sure we’ve all met a “Catty Wompus” in our lives and if we didn’t know better, we’d normally shrug it off, and don’t bother making such friends. However, if we are a parent or educator, I’d have to say, we all must always plant seeds of love, hope and faith. Show our children that people who display hatred, are people who are really scared inside. They may seem loud and obnoxious on the outside, but inside, they are as tiny as a mouse.

About The Author :

Hi there. I’m Julie Howe and I live on the Monterey Peninsula of Northern California with my husband and two large, cuddly dogs. Books have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I love stories of all kinds but I especially love kid’s books. To be even more specific, I love kid’s books told in rhyming verse so it’s obvious why Shel Silverstein is my hero. Having always wanted to write one of my own, I decided to take the plunge and write Catty Wompus: A Tale of Friendship. I hope you love reading it as much as I loved writing it.

Buy It! : I must say, this book is a very valuable resource for parents, counsellors and educators, who can share this with young kids (and some big kids, like me), that giving love (although not always accepted at first), is better than being hateful. It is also beautifully (and unusually) illustrated by Chasom Matthoms. I quite like his big-headed (with big eyes!) people alot.

My kids’ verdict : They loved it. There were so many questions about “Catty” (and why sometimes her head was bigger than the rest – that’s from my 4 year old), but I believe my 7 year old gets it, as he too may have a “Catty Wompus” in his class. We were actually discussing this, before we got this book. So, this book came at the right time, if I might add!

We have some wonderful reviews from our panel of reviewers that we’d like to share with you :

Pookie and the Boys : I found this story to be a life lesson for many of us today. Just because someone may have the best of everything, they may be very lonely. It shows how we can try to make good friends by being one.

The Sewing Mom : Catty Wompus is a wonderfully written story for tweens. I think every girl and boy has met someone like Catty, they may not have realized though why they were so unhappy. In today’s environment of having so much, it can certainly be difficult to understand that having things isn’t what makes us happy.

She Scribes : I really like the moral of this story and how important friendship can be to someone, especially those who have no friends. I think the books sends out a powerful message to children about friendship and I would encourage children to read this book.

Crunchy Green Mom : Then we read “Catty Wompus” by Julie Howe. I love this book, my girls love this book, my teens and my boyfriend love this book. It is awesome to have such a great book about everything we all deal with. The “mean” girl, the one who looks pretty but speaks ugly and the pain that is causes everyone around her, most importantly her.

Heidi Strawser : I’m a sucker for a children’s book that is set to rhyme (this probably stems back to my early days of listening to my mom read Dr. Seuss books to me!) There’s just something super fun about reading a rhyming story, and Catty Wompus was no exception!

Connie’s View : From an adult point of view, you can see that Catty is lonely. From a child’s point of view, she comes across as mean, especially when she tells a girl that her clothing was “ugly”. This girl, Lucy Hope,  feels sad and angry about this offense.

The Plus Size Mommy : It is very important that children give other kids a chance, even if they seem like they are mean or miserablefriendship or love might be the one missing link in their lives that they do not have, that can completely change their little World for them.

Blogmania : This was a great book about tolerance, friendship and looking beyond what is on the surface. The illustrations were really great – very quirky and fun.

Ang’s Chicken Coop : The illustrations are very colorful and fun. Melina, who is 7, was delighted with the book. I was, too. It tells a great life lesson in a way that makes sense to a child. This is definitely a book that could easily become a family classic.

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